In algebra what is a set?

Answer 1

A set is a collection (or list) of objects called "elements", that are normally of the same type. The objects can be anything, but the set does not contain any duplicate values.

Example 1 : The set of integers (whole numbers) = { ... , -2 , -1, 0 , 1, 2, ... }

It is usually denoted as Z in "Blackboard Bold" and is an infinite set because it has an infinite amount of elements.

Example 2 : The set of primary colours = { Red, Blue, Green}

This is a finite set because it only contains 3 elements.

A set in algebra is a set...

That's the beauty of algebra - it's so general, it's not just about numbers!

Answer 2

If U stands for universal (all of it), let's say U={1,2,3,4,5,6}.

Let's say B and A are subsets of U. Here, A={1,3,4,6}, and B={2,4,5,6}.

U is a set, A and B are subsets. (Subcategories of U)

I hope I've explained this right, I just learned it last week...

Hope this helps!